As a spare lead storage case of this type, there have heretofore been known those which are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication (Kokai) No. Sho 58-163290 (1983) and Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication (Kokoku) No. Hei 2-313 (1990).
In the invention disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho 58-163290 (1983), there is disclosed a spare lead storage case including a body, a partition portion formed on either the body or a closure member attached to the body, an outlet port formed in the partition portion all the way therethrough, a fixing hole formed in either the body (or the closure member) or a flip member and a locking pin formed on the rest (the body or the flip member). The locking pin is rotatably inserted into the fixing hole such that an expelling port formed in the flip member longitudinally all the way therethrough and the outlet port formed in the partition portion are coincident with each other when the flip member is in its protruded state.
The utility model of the Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Hei 2-313 (1990) discloses a spare lead storage case, in which a lid member having an external configuration readily inserted into a lead tank of a mechanical pencil and provided with a spare lead passage formed therein is turnably attached to an upper opening portion of a spare lead chamber in a body such that the spare lead passage and a spare lead storage chamber are linearly communicated with each other when the lid member is in an open position, a side wall of the opening portion, with which a basal portion of the lid member is abutted when the lid member is turned, is formed as a resilient wall and a maximum enlarged diameter portion of an outer periphery of the basal portion of the lid member urges the resilient wall so as to be displaced during the turning operation of the lid member, thereby opening and closing the lid member.
Any of the above conventional spare lead storage cases has such advantages that the lead expelling portion with the spare lead passage formed therein disposed at the opening portion of the body can be projected from the upper surface of the body in use and the lead stored in the body can be supplied directly into the lead tank of the mechanical pencil through the lead expelling portion.
However, there are such inconveniences involved in the above conventional devices that in order to project the lead expelling portion with the spare lead passage formed therein from the upper surface of the body in use, it is required to project the lead expelling portion by holding an end face thereof and therefore, lead powder deposited on the end face of the lead expelling portion is readily adhered to the user's hand to soil it and in addition, the operation is troublesome.